[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 6, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20973-20974]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-10482]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


60-Day Notice of Intention To Request Clearance of Collection of 
Information; Opportunity for Public Comment

AGENCY: Department of the Interior, National Park Service.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
and 5 CFR part 1320, Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements, the 
National Park Service (NPS) invites public comments on a proposed new 
collection of information (1024-xxxx).

DATES: Public comments will be accepted on the proposed Information 
Collection Request (ICR) on or before July 6, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Send Comments To: David K. Loomis, Ph.D., Department of 
Natural Resources Conservation, University of Massachusetts, 160 
Holdsworth Way, Amherst, MA 01003: or via phone at

[[Page 20974]]

Phone: 413/545-6641, or via e-mail at: [email protected]. Also, you 
may send comments to Dr. James Gramann, NPS Social Science Program, 
1201 ``Eye'' St. (2300), Washington, DC 20005 or via e-mail at [email protected]. All responses to this notice will be 
summarized and included in the request for the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.
    To Request a Draft of Proposed Collection of Information Contact: 
David K. Loomis, Ph.D., Department of Natural Resources Conservation, 
University of Massachusetts, 160 Holdsworth Way, Amherst, MA 01003: or 
via phone at Phone: 413/545-6641, or via e-mail at: 
[email protected]; or Cliff McCreedy, Marine Resource Management 
Specialist, National Park Service, 1201 Eye Street, NW., 11th Floor 
(2301), Washington, DC 20005; or via phone at 202/513-7164, or via e-
mail at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. James Gramann, NPS Social Science 
Program, 1201 ``Eye'' St. (2300), Washington, DC 20005; or via phone at 
202/513-7189; or via e-mail at [email protected]. You are 
entitled to a copy of the entire ICR package free of charge.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Social Science Assessment and Geographic Analysis of Marine 
Recreational Uses and Visitor Attitudes at Dry Tortugas and Biscayne 
National Parks.
    Bureau Form Number: None.
    OMB Number: To be requested.
    Expiration Date: To be requested.
    Type of Request: New Collection.
    Description of Need: The National Park Service (NPS) Act of 1916, 
38 Stat 535, 16 USC 1, et seq., requires that the NPS preserve national 
parks for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The 
National Park Service is developing a visitor-focused program to reduce 
recreational impacts on marine resources in certain ocean units of the 
National Park System. The program aims to remove and mitigate 
degradation of ocean resources by enabling visitors to avoid boat 
grounding, anchor damage, fishing violations, wildlife disturbance, 
invasive species introduction, pollution and other impacts from 
boating, fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling and kayaking. Coral reefs, 
seagrass beds, fish, birds, marine mammals and other sensitive habitats 
and wildlife are particularly vulnerable to damage or disturbance. 
However, most visitors will use marine resources responsibly if 
provided appropriate information and navigational tools to encourage 
safe and environmentally sound behavior. Dry Tortugas National Park 
(DRTO) has adopted various anchoring or fishing prohibitions, and 
Biscayne National Park (BISC) is developing a Fisheries Management Plan 
and amendments to the Park General Management Plan. In order to 
succeed, these measures require a full understanding of local visitor 
use patterns and attitudes and a strategy to incorporate this 
information into resource management, education and enforcement 
efforts. The project will survey visitor attitudes, perceptions and 
beliefs concerning marine resources and provide a geospatial assessment 
of geographic locations of visitor uses at DRTO and BISC. The reports 
will be used to assess levels and patterns of recreational uses in 
these parks and develop and evaluate strategic communication efforts. 
This information will support efforts to address marine recreational 
impacts on sensitive habitats and marine resources, and guide 
strategies to reduce these impacts through education and outreach, 
navigational aids, and enhanced compliance with rules and regulations, 
working closely with the public and marine recreational communities.
    Automated data collection: This information will be collected by 
identifying voluntary participants and providing surveys to be 
completed and returned via postal mail or electronic mail.
    Description of respondents: Visitors to Biscayne and Dry Tortugas 
National Parks, Florida who visit between February 1st, 2010 and 
November 1st, 2010.
    Estimated average number of respondents: We will contact 5,000 
individuals stratified by month and expect 2,500 or 50 percent, to 
agree to respond.
    Estimated average number of responses: We expect to collect 2,500 
completed surveys.
    Estimated average burden hours per response: 3 minutes for non-
respondents and 23 minutes for respondents.
    Frequency of Response: 1 time per respondent.
    Estimated total annual reporting burden: 1,083 hours.
    Comments are invited on: (1) The practical utility of the 
information being gathered; (2) the accuracy of the burden hour 
estimate; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden to 
respondents, including use of automated information techniques or other 
forms of information technology. Before including your address, phone 
number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Dated: April 29, 2009.
Cartina Miller,
NPS, Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-10482 Filed 5-5-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P